The Melted Heart
by minakoS
Summary: Based on the Sasuke/Usagi chapter of my one shot series. Starts from episode 3 onwards. Will it work? That is the question.
1. Introduction to dyfunction

**The Melted Heart...Crappy title, I know...but it makes sense, ok! Anyways, based on chapter 2 of the Fox and Rabbit loving idiots story. You know...with Sasuke and Usagi? I figured that since NGAA is doing so well, might as well do another one, maybe one involving Sasuke. **

**I don't own Naruto or Sailor Moon. I only own whatever OC I come up with(Like Madoka, Kimiko, Saki, Haru, etc.)**

"I'm first!" Sakura and Ino announced. A few people looked at them mildly interested. Two included were Naru Osaka and Usagi Tsukino.

"Oh, what dummies. I sure won't miss them when I'm gone." Naru said, annoyed. Usagi teared up then hugged her again. "Don't say that, Naru-chan! Thinking about you moving *sniff* makes me sad." Naru patted her back.

"Aw, you baby, you. Don't worry Usagi, I'll write back everyday." Suddenly a girl stomped on Usagi's foot. "Ow! What do you think you're-huh?" A huge crowd of girls crowded around Sasuke, arguing who got there first. Naru sighed and walked up to them all.

"Girls, girls! We're all equal here, we shouldn't fight over a guy. But, in all fairness," She patted ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. "I was here before any of you." Naru found herself under a pile of angry fangirls.

"You damn Osaka!"

"Isn't it time for you to leave already?" Naruto groaned and crawled away. "Hey, Naruto! You look abused!" He frowned and dusted himself off.

"It's that stupid Sasuke. All the girls love him!"

"Not true! I don't love him! If I were to love someone, it'd be-" Her eyes grew sparkly. "-That hot chuunin, Mamoru Chiba! I guess they all like Sasuke like I like Mamoru."

Naruto growled and pounced onto Sasuke's desk. "Ehh, Naruto?" Usagi asked, confused. He and Sasuke glared at each other, annoyed.

"N-naruto! Stop glaring at Sasuke!" Sakura yelled, clenching her fist. '_Sakura? Why's everyone so obsessed with him? Sasuke, Sasuke! What's the big deal with this guy?' _Everyone watched as the glare fest continued. The fangirls babbled at Naruto when suddenly a guy sitting in front of them moved his arm back...and knocked Naruto into Sasuke for a kiss.

"What the-"

"I...I..." Usagi's eyes widened. '_Y...Y...Yaoi!' _ Sakura flipped out and so did Naru. "How unclassy!" She exclaimed. Naruto coughed violently then stared into a pair of enraged green eyes.

"Naruto..."Sakura said, cracking her knuckles. "You're dead!"

"But it was an accident, hold on!" Iruka walked in, motioning everyone to sit down. "As of today, you are all ninjas. To get here, you've faced difficult trials and hardships. But that's nothing. The next part is far more difficult. Now you're only genin, first level ninjas. You will be grouped into 3 man squads, led by a jounin, an elite ninja." everyone's eyes widened. '_Three man squads?' _Automatically the fangirls wondered who would be in Sasuke's team.

'_Groups of three? That'll only slow me down,' _Sasuke irritatedly thought.

_'I wanna be with Sakura, and, well, I don't care, as long as it's not Sasuke.' _Naruto thought.

'_Chaa, I'm gonna be with Sasuke, so stay away you hag,' _Sakura thought about Ino.

'_Yikes, in a group with a fangirl? Oh, Naru, why can't you stay, or, Mamoru, why can't you be my age?' _Usagi thought lazily. Iruka continued on by saying that the squads should be balenced academically and talent-wise. The team reading went on until team 7.

"Team 7. Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura Haruno. Sasuke Uchiha. Because we have an odd number of students, it was decided that Usagi Tsukino will also be on this team." The team readings went on but it didn't matter to team 7.

'_That idiot loser, idiot fangirl, and that idiot rabbit?'_

_'Aw, c'mon! Why can't Sasuke just butt out of the team?'_

_'Chaa! I'm on Sasuke's team! But then again, I have to deal with Naruto, and that Usagi...'_

_'Good grief, what a weird team! Naruto, the prankster, Sakura, the fangirl, Sasuke, the quiet guy, and me, that cute daydreamer...'_

"Iruka-sensei? Why should a great ninja like me be in the same group as that slug Sasuke?"

"Sasuke had the best grades of the class. You on the other hand had the lowest." He explained angrily.

"Hm. Just don't get in my way," Sasuke muttered.

"What did you say!" Naruto griped.

"Grr, knock it off Naruto! Sit down!" Sakura yelled.

"Please stop shouting!" Usagi exclaimed, covering her ears. "Oh dear, seems you have a handful!" Naru said sympathetically. "Tell me about it," Usagi said, rolling her eyes. Lunch break began and Usagi hurried to sit in her favorite spot, the school roof. Naru was already there eating octapus dumplings.

"Aw, you're so lucky you don't have to deal with this. And, can I please have an octapus dumpling?" Usagi whined. Naru rolled her eyes and handed one over. "I mean, imagine it! Me, a delicate young girl, in an awkward group like that? No way!" She leaned over the roof side to see what was happening. Naruto crept into a window and tackled Sasuke.

"H-huh?" She asked, blushing. "Twice the time...yaoi?"

"Usagi, watch your mouth!" Naru frowned, throwing a chopstick at her. "Sorry. Well, I should at least try to be friendly to them. Bye bye!" Usagi went to the street and bumped into Sasuke, ungracefully falling down.

"Ow! S-sorry Sasuke...gah, I'm so clumsy!"

"Hn. I noticed."

"Well, can you at least help me up?" He took her hand and picked her up. "Thank you. You're not as mean as I thought after all!"

"What was that? Never mind, I'm busy." '_Sorry, Usagi, but I really am busy!' _

"Oh. So see you later then. Ja ne!(Bye)" She turned and hurried the other way. '_He wasn't so bad, I suppose...Ow!' _She crashed into Sasuke and fell again. "Oh geez, I'm so sorry,Sa-Hey, weren't you over there?" He frowned.

"No. Naruto's impersonating me."

"Im...impregnating you?"

"Are you hard of hearing too?"

"Well, the doctor thinks-"**[1]**

"Whatever, that wasn't me whoever you saw!" He exclaimed, rushing away. Usagi blinked a few times then frowned. "Hmph! Well that was a nice attempt at getting to know me!" She tucked some hair strands behind her ear. "Honestly."

**I'm making these long because I don't want this to take 200+ chapters. So expect things like the Zabuza arc to be a veeerrry long chapter. How'd you like this? Was it good? Bad? Leave me a comment to tell me. And no, you don't need to be a member to comment.**

**[1] Something I've noticed is that Usagi has a habit o****f mishearing words. For example, "Promise Ring"** **was heard as** **"Pro wrestling" and "Garayan" as "Garapan" I figured that a doctor probably noticed so she brought it up.**


	2. Capture the Bells

**Chapter 2 now! Thank you to the few people that favorited this. Even if it was a small amount of people, the support still counts to me *teary eyes* On an unrelated note, I've been obsessed with this song called Mobo Moga by Orange Lounge. The original is only a minute long and the Pop remix is about 3:40. Both versions are great, so feel free to check them out. Here, things get interesting, and first time ever, I write a fight scene :0**

**I don't own Naruto or Sailor Moon.**

Usagi Tsukino drummed her fingers on her desk. The jounin that was supposed to train Team 7 was late. "He's late!" Naruto grumbled.

"Naruto, just sit down!" Sakura scolded.

"I don't want to! How come our teachers the only one who's late? I'm ready to rule, believe it!" Usagi giggled. "You're so troubled! But, he really is taking his time."

"The other groups already met their teachers and took off on some kind of adventure or something, and Iruka-sensei's gone too!"

"We know ok?" Sakura sighed. She and Usagi looked up as Naruto started messing with the door. "What are you doing!" Sakura exclaimed. Usagi laughed again as Naruto placed a chalk filled eraser on top of the door frame.

"Naruto!"

"That's what he gets for being late. Surprise!"

"You're asking for trouble, you know you shouldn't do that!" Sakura scolded. Inside, she yelled in excitement. Pranks were the best! Sasuke frowned. "He's an elite jounin, he'd never fall for that." Usagi frowned back. "Aw, you just don't know how to have fun!" Sakura looked at Usagi, mad, then at Sasuke, with hearts in her eyes. "Sasuke's right! You guys are so clueless!" Suddenly the door opened...and the jounin got hit with the eraser. Everybody watched in amazement. Naruto broke the silence.

"Hahaha! He totally fell for it!"

"See, I told you!" Usagi shouted to an upset Sasuke. "Hmph," was all he said.

"I-I'm so sorry, Sensei! I told him not to do it, but he didn't listen. I'd never do something like that!" She said like a goody two-shoes but inside she raved at the success of the prank. '_He actually fell for that cheap trick?_' Sasuke wondered. _'Is he really an elite jounin?' _The man picked up the eraser.

"Hmm...How can I put this?" He raised a hand to his chin. "My first impression of this group...you're a bunch of idiots." A huge rock fell on everyone's shoulders.

"What? That's so harsh! You just met us and you...already...hate us?" Usagi blubbered, starting to cry. The teacher looked at her. "You there, Odango." She froze. "You expect to become a kunoichi, crying over something like that? Hm. I'd hate to see your face when you're required to kill someone." Usagi face burned and she looked down. "I'm sorry, Sensei..."

They all headed to the Academy's roof to talk.

"Alright then. Why don't you introduce yourselves, one at a time."

"Introduce ourselves? What are we supposed to say?" Sakura asked.

"Things you like, things you hate, dreams and hobbies. Things like that."

"Why don't you tell us stuff first? I mean, before we talk, tell us about you so we can see how it's supposed to work." Naruto suggested.

"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate...I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future...I never really thought about it. As for my hobbies...I have lots of hobbies."

"That was totally useless," Sakura grumbled. "All he really told us was his name." Naruto nodded, agreeing with her.

"Okay, your turn. You on the right, you go first."

"Believe it!" Naruto said, adjusting his headband. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like instant ramen in a cup, and I really like the ramen Iruka-sensei got me at the Ichiraku Noodle shop. But I hate the 3 minutes you have to wait after you pour the water in the ramen cup. My hobbies are eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them. And my future dream is to be the greatest hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody important!" Kakashi thought, '_Well, he's grown up in a very interesting way...'_

"Alright, next?"

"I'm Sakura Haruno! What I like, uh, I mean the person I like is..." She turned to Sasuke and giggled. "Uh, my hobby is, uh..." She giggled again. "My dream for the future is," Sakura squealed, trying to contain herself. Usagi noticed and laughed. 'S_akura-chan is very strange and funny!' _She thought.

"And? What do you hate?" Kakashi asked. "Naruto!" She shouted immediately. "Hah?" Naruto growled, thinking he heard wrong.

'_Girls her age are more interested in boys than ninja training,' _Kakashi thought.

"Don't feel bad Naruto, you still have me!" Usagi exclaimed, placing her hand on a sharp rock. "Gah! Curse you rock-chan, you hurt me!" She childishly exclaimed, grabbing her hand. Everyone sighed inwardly. "Well then, Odango. Tell us about yourself."

"I'm Usagi Tsukino! I like rabbits, the colors pink and red, and sweets. Oh, and to get back at my little brother, he's so mean! I hate carrots and really hard work. I guess my future is to be a really good kunoichi, and get married! That way I can raise kids the right way being as good as me. My hobbies are...eating cake! And, I guess that's all."

Everybody sweat dropped. '_Way too cheerful for being a ninja! And she's also a crybaby' _Kakashi thought. Usagi sneezed**[1]**.

"Last one," He said to Sasuke. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm gonna restore my clan, and destroy a certain someone." Everybody stared at him.

'_Gee, uh, I hope he doesn't mean me!' _Naruto thought.

'S_asuke is sooo hot!' Sakura thought._

'_Just as I thought,' _was Kakashi's response. However, different than all responses, was Usagi's. '_Oh...mom told me that his family's dead...maybe he just needs a friend? Yeah, I'll be his friend from now on!_ _People say I'm a people person, I should have no problem!' _She smiled to herself.

"Good. You're each unique and have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."

"Whoop! What kind of mission are we going to have?" Naruto asked. "It's a task...that the four of us will do together." Kakashi answered.

"What, what, what, what?" Naruto kept on, excited.

"...A survival exercise."

"Huh? Survival exercise?"

"I thought a real mission, not more practice! We already did this stuff at the Academy till we got here!" Sakura said.

"Yeah, she's right!" Usagi agreed.

"This is not like your previous training..."

"So, uh, what kind of training is it then?" Kakashi chuckled, then started to laugh loudly.

"Hey, that's a normal question, what's so funny?" Sakura asked. Usagi twiddled her thumbs and stared at Kakashi.

"Well, if I tell you the answer, you're not going to like it..."

"And why not? As long as it's not so hard and there's no carrots, I'm game!" Usagi exclaimed. Sasuke jumped from her sudden outburst. Kakashi continued to laugh and rested his head on his hand.

"Of the 27 graduates that came here, only 10 will actually be accepted as genin**[2]**. The other 18 will be weeded out and sent back to the academy. In other words, this is a make it or break it, pass/fail test. The chance that you'll fail is at least 66%." Everyone (save for Sasuke) made a shocked face.

"See? I told you you wouldn't like it." Naruto leaned forward and shouted,

"That's crazy! We worked hard to get here, believe it! What was that graduation test for anyway?"  
>"Oh, that. That was just to select candidates who might become genin. Or not." Naruto and Usagi went, "Whaaaaat?"<p>

"That's how it is. I decided whether you pass or fail. Be at the designated training spot at 5 am. And bring your ninja gear." '_Man, what a tough guy! I wish someone like...Mamoru could teach us.' _She giggled and clasped her hands together. '_Oh, if only he could be a jounin. But, until then, Kakashi-sensei will have to do. And, besides, I should be open minded!'_

"Got it, Kakashi-sensei!" Usagi exclaimed, happily. '_And now...I could really go for a milkshake now...' _Naruto growled, Sakura rocked on her feet back and forth, and Sasuke clenched his fists.

"Yeah, that's the spirit, Odango. That's it, you're dismissed." Usagi hopped up only to fall face first. "I-I won't cry, I won't c-c-cry!" She exclaimed, starting to cry.

"Usagi, really work on that. You can't get anywhere if you cry every two steps." He muttered. "Oh, and tomorrow you'd better skip breakfast, or else, you'll puke." '_Puke? Eww! Guess I'll have to brown nose mom into making me extra dinner tonight,' _Usagi thought, tightening her headband (she wears it around her neck).

That night, Usagi tumbled down her house stairs.

"Are you okay, Usagi?" Ikuko, her mom, asked. She was use to her daughters misfortune of falling. "Uh, yeah, mama. L-listen!" She said, getting serious and standing next to her mom.

"Okay, I'm listening." She stirred the post of miso soup and Usagi's mouth watered. '_Oh boy! Miso soup? And I also saw mama put cake into the oven, so she must be doing this for me!'_

"You see, mama, I'm a kunoichi now!"

"Of course you are, I was there the day you graduated. Your father and I were so proud of our big girl." Ikuko glance over at her. "I just hope that now, you can be responsible and show your little brother the right ways to grow up. You wouldn't want us disappointed, right?" Usagi's mouth trembled and she started crying.

"Aw, mama, why'd you have to play the guilt trip? A-all I was going to ask was for a little extra dinner, since our sensei said not to eat breakfast! B-but now, I'm all sad!" Ikuko sad and rubbed her daughter's shoulders.

"Then why didn't you say so? I'm sorry for making you cry, but really Usagi, it's no trouble. Just ask next time, okay? Were you going to brown nose me?" She cried harder.

"Why do mamas know everything?" A hand hit Usagi harshly in the back.

"Oi, big sis, what are you blubbering about?" She frowned.

"Why you-I'm your elder sister, you treat me with respect!" Usagi struck a pose. "You see, Shingo, I'm the new kunoichi of the house, so now you'll have to respect me." He sighed.

"Yeah right, are you sure you didn't just drug the teachers to promote you?" She frowned and hit him upside the head.

"You're my little brother, okay? Act like it!"

The next day, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura arrived to the training grounds. Usagi wasn't there, but it wasn't like Sasuke or Sakura cared. '_Huh? Usagi's late...but, then again, when is she ever early?'_ He rubbed his eyes. '_Man, am I beat. Is this guy crazy? I shouldn't wake up at 5am, believe it!'_ A few hours passed until Usagi came rushing towards them.

"Gomen nasaaaaaii! (Sorry) Mama didn't wake me up in time and I-woah!" She tripped and landed unto Sasuke. '_Hey! You get off of my Sasuke right now!' _Sakura growled in her head.

"Gah! Gomen ne(sorry) Sasuke! I'm so clumsy, I don't know if you noticed, oh dear, I'm babbling aren't I...uh, where's Kakashi-sensei?" She gushed, hopping back.

"He's not here," Naruto muttered. "Man, I could sure go for some ramen now..."

"But Naruto, all you had to do was eat a big dinner! Goodness it was nice! We had miso, and crab rolls...oh! And we also had strawberry cake, yum!" Sasuke glared at her. It seemed like everyone could have nice family time when he couldn't.

"_Mom, what's for dinner?" An excited Sasuke asked. The 7 year old bounced up and down while his mom cut some vegetables._

"_Just making some omusubi. Here, you can eat this tomato while I cook._

"_Yay! Thanks, mom!" He said, starting to bite into the red surface._

Sasuke frowned at the memory. Kakashi suddenly poofed in front of the team.

"Morning everyone. Ready for your first day?"

Everyone besides Sasuke pointed at him. "You're late!" Kakashi rubbed his head.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take a long way." Usagi suddenly stepped forward.

"D-did it have a bald spot on it's forehead? You know, shaped like a crescent moon?" Everyone just stared at her. "What? It's my kitty Luna! She's been missing for a while..." '_What a strange one,' _Kakashi thought.

"Anyways, let's get started." He walked away and they watched. He placed a clock onto a log stump. "Here we go. It's set for noon. Your assignment is very simple." Kakashi waved 2 bells in front of his face. "You just have to take these bells from me, that's all there is to it."

"If you can't get them by noon," he continued, "you go without lunch." Naruto gasped in disbelief.

"You'll be tied to those posts and you'll watch while I eat my lunch in front of you."

'_So that's why-' _started Sasuke.

'_-He told us not to-' _picked up Sakura.

_'-eat any breakfast-'_ grumbled Naruto.

'_-to make it harder on us!_' finished Usagi(that was fun to write XD)

"Wait a minute!" Sakura called out. "There's 4 of us, how come there's only 3 bells?"**[3] **

"Well," Kakashi smiled, "that way, at least 1 of you will end up tied to a post and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission. That one goes back to the academy." '_How cruel!' _Usagi thought, brooding.

"Then again, all of you can flunk out too...You can use any weapon including shuriken. If your not prepared to kill me," he said, glancing at Usagi, "you won't be able to take the bells."

"Those weapons are too dangerous sensei!" Sakura exclaimed.

"And knowing me, you'll be bound to get hurt without them!" chimed in Usagi.

"Hahaha, especially since you couldn't even doge that eraser," giggled Naruto.

"Class clowns are usually the weakest links. You can safely ignore them, low scores, losers." Kakashi retorted. Naruto growled at him. "When I say start, you can begin." Naruto, with the word 'losers' echoing in his head, charged at Kakashi with a kunai. Kaksahi quickly turned the kunai to face the back of Naruto's head. Sasuke, Sakura and Usagi watched in amazement.

"Don't be in such a hurry. I didn't say start yet." The others took a few steps back.

'_He's so fast, I didn't even see him!' _thought Sakura.

'_I'm so scared now! Even if I don't kill him, he'll be able to kill me!' _thought Usagi.

'_So this is a jounin,' _Sasuke thought. "But, you came at me with the forceful intention of destroying me. So..." Sakura frowned. '_That Naruto, showing off!' _"I can say this. I'm actually starting to like you guys." Usagi smiled brightly and clasped her hands together.

"Get ready. And...start!" The team jumped away quickly. "Ninjas must know how to hide quickly and effectively!" He called out. Sasuke hid in a tree, Sakura hid under a bush, and Usagi hid behind a large rock. Suddenly, looking up, Kakashi saw Naruto grinning at him.

"You and me, right now, fair and square! Let's go!" HE shouted eagerly. '_Ah Naruto, you're a knucklehead as always,' _Usagi thought, peeking out at the scene. Kakashi tilted his head, confused at the kid. "Hm?" '_Fool,' _Sasuke thought.

"You know, compared to the others, you're a little...weird. You should be ashamed considering you have Usagi on your team. Usagi scrambled to clap her hand over her nose.**[1] **

"Yeah? The only thing weird here is your hair cut!" He rushed forward, yelling as he went. Absentmindedly, Kakashi just stared at him. He reached into his hip pocket and Naruto jumped back. '_Woah, is he really gonna throw shuriken at me?' _Usagi's eyes widened. '_Be careful!' _

"Shinobi battle techniques. Part 1. Taijutsu. The physical part." He pulled his hand out. '_Taijutsu? That's hand-to-hand combat! But why's he getting a weapon?' _Naruto thought angrily. "Huh!" Kakashi said, pulling out an orange book. Sakura tilted her head. Wasn't that one of those books her mom read but always told her to never look at?

"What the-!" Naruto exclaimed.

"What are you waiting for, make your move." Kakashi said.

"B-but, I mean, why are you reading that book?"

"Why? To find out what happens in the story, of course." He replied, opening it up. "Don't let it bother you. With your weak attacks it doesn't really matter if I'm reading or whatever." Naruto made a fist and ran towards Kakashi.

"Argh! I'm gonna crush you! Gyah!" Every time he made a punch or kick to Kakashi, he always blocked it with only one hand. At one point, Kakashi poofed behind Naruto.

"Don't let your enemy get behind you all the time." Sakura gasped. Kakashi's hands were forming the hand symbol for tiger. '_Is that the sign of the tiger? That's dangerous! He could destroy Naruto with that.' _Sasuke noticed it as well. '_That hand sign is one for a fire jutsu. He's not just toying with Naruto, he's going to demolish him!' _Usagi tapped her finger against her chin. '_If that's the tiger sign, and he's pointing it at Naruto...oh no! Naruto, habedai!_(look out)'

"Naruto, get out of there quick! He's going to destroy you!" Sakura yelled, giving away her spot.

"Too late," said Kakashi. "Leaf village secret finger jutsu!" His fingers were...aimed for Naruto's butt? "One thousand years of death!" He yelled, throwing Naruto into a pond.

"Well that wasn't a hand sign at all, he just poked him," Sakura frowned.

"Those two are just total idiots," Sasuke frowned.

"That's just nasty," Usagi commented, frowning. Kakashi went back to reading his book. '_That must be against the rules! He's a jounin, we can't possibly match his strength,' _Sakura thought to herself. Two shurikens suddenly whizzed out to Kakashi...and he caught them onto his fingers.

"What are you doing now?" Kakashi asked Naruto as he crawled out of the pond. "You look pretty wobbly for someone who's going to be the hokage." Naruto spat back about how he didn't eat. The other team members stomachs growled.

'_Breakfast? I didn't even have dinner last night. It was a bad idea to go on a diet,' _Sakura miserably thought.

'_I'm glad I had a good dinner, but still, I'm starving! A growing girl like me needs breakfast, duh!' _Usagi thought. Naruto growled, stating to swear that he would become a ninja, no matter what.

"Believe it!" A group of clone Narutos yelled, jumping out of the pond. "Woah..." Usagi gasped. '_Seven Narutos?' _Sakura thought, surprised. '_They're not images, they're real! How did he do that?' _

"Great technique," Kakashi started. "But I don't think it'll hold for very long. You talk like you're the best, Naruto, but you're still the worst student. You can't beat me with this jutsu." Suddenly Naruto was on his back. '_What? He got me from behind!' _Everyone looked in wonder. '_Naruto...you're so cool!' _Usagi thought, messing with her thumbs. Naruto grinned and lunged to get a bell.

'_When did Naruto get so cool?' _Sakura thought, smiling.

'_A diversionary tactic. Nice,' _Sasuke thought. Kakashi disappeared and a clone appeared in his place. Naruto punched the clone then gasped. "Huh?"

'_Naruto punched...Naruto!' _Sakura thought. The clones started to fight while Usagi looked around. "Aw, crap, now he's probably looking for us now," she whispered.

With poof, only one Naruto remained with bumps and bruises everywhere. _'Naruto, you're so not cool,' _Sakura frowned. '_He got you with a replacement jutsu, loser,' _Sasuke frowned. Naruto turned to his right seeing something shiny. "Hm...a bell?" He exclaimed, excited. Rushing to the bell, Naruto tripped and got caught in a rope trap. '_Now that's just sly!' _Usagi thought. '_Of course it was a trap,' _Sasuke thought. '_That jounin doesn't let his guard down, even when fighting Naruto. _

Kakashi walked up, snatching the bell. While he lectured Naruto on getting the hang of planning attacks Sasuke reached into his bag. '_Now is my chance! He finally dropped his guard.' _He launched a series of weapons to Kakashi.

"Gah!" The other exclaimed. "Are you crazy, Sasuke! You went too far." Naruto exclaimed as the weapons knocked down Kakashi. Usagi hopped over the rock and ran to him.

"Kakashi-sensei, are you okay?" She frantically yelled. "H-he isn't dead is he? Oh no!" She stopped and fell to the ground. "O-our teachers dead, oh no..."

**Three thousand five hundred fifty six words. I am so sorry for making you read all the way through, but I really want to do whole episodes and not random order ones. Please leave a comment telling me how this came out :)**

**1. It's a myth in Asia that if someone talks like they hate you, you sneeze. In my case it's either allergies, or a lot of people hate me :\**

**2. I know it's supposed to be 9 genin, but remember, I'm including Usagi.**

**3. Again, I know it should be 2 belles, but I have to include Usagi.**

**Wooh! What a terrible way of ending this chapter 0.0**


	3. Bitter tears aren't for Sensei

**Thanks so much to The Darkness of You Fall for a wonderful review and critique of this story. It makes me happy to know someone actually bothered to read that monster chapter yesterday ._.' Today's episode is brought to you by the letter H, for "Half Day." That's right, I'm writing this on a half day of school!**

**I damn well don't own Naruto or Sailor Moon. Enjoy!**

A loud explosion was heard. Usagi looked up to only see a log with weapons embed in it. "S-so he isn't dead..." Sasuke frowned, running from his hiding spot.

'_Crap, another substitution jutsu! And now he knows where I'm hiding! Gotta move fast.' _He jumped past some branches and ran north. '_I thought he lowered his guard, but he did that on purpose, and I fell for it!' _Kakashi's eye peeked from behind a bush and watched Sasuke.

'_So that's where he is, haha. I may as well have gone for Odango, teaching her a lesson for being so open like that. But, I'd much rather get Sasuke first.' _He reached into his hip bag. Sakura ran south. '_Sasuke, where'd you go? Don't tell me Kakashi-sensei found you! No! He can't capture my Sasuke, I won't let him!'_

Usagi rushed over to Naruto.

"Don't worry, my friend, I'll help you." She peered up at the tree. "I'll just climb this and-" something tightened around her foot and she too was thrown into the tree.

"Haha, hey there," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. Usagi turned red and she started yelling. "You damn teacher, putting us through hell!" Suddenly a scream ripped through the forest.

"That sounds like-"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. "Oh now he'll get it, messing with Sakura like that! Just watch, the second I get out, I'll destroy him!" Usagi helplessly listened and tried to untie her foot. "Grr, 'A ninja must see through deception,' yeah yeah!" Naruto griped, quoting Kakashi. He took out a kunai and cut his feet lose. Usagi was about to do the same until-

"Naruto, habedai(look out)!" He was quickly whisked into another rope trap.

"Gah, I fell for it again!" Another scream ripped through the forest. "I-I guess I should be glad I'm here and not there," Usagi fearfully mumbled.

Sasuke had his back turned to Kakashi. '_Genjutsu. It's just simple mind control. I'm not surprised he caught Sakura with it, but-' _"I'm not like Sakura or Naruto or even Usagi."

"Say that after you get after you get on of these bells, my Sasuke?" Kakashi laughed. Sasuke turned, angry. He grabbed a handful of weapons and threw them to Kakashi, who skilfully dodged them.

"There's no point in using normal attacks." He said. Then he noticed they weren't aimed for him. They were aimed for a rope behind him. "A trap!" He looked but nothing happened. Suddenly Sasuke yelled, charging at Kakashi for a kick. Kakashi quickly grabbed Sasuke's ankle before he was hit in the face. That didn't stop Sasuke. He then aimed a punch, but was caught. He tried to kick with his other leg but was caught there as well. The bells started to tinker and move. Sasuke smirked and quickly reached for one.

_'This kid!' _Kakashi said, impressed. He jumped back and released Sasuke. '_He's fierce, hmph. I won't be able to be able to read Make Out Paradise now.'_ Sakura sat up, her head spinning.

"W-what happened?" She asked, looking around. She gasped. _'Sasuke! I saw him, he was on the verge of-'_ "Sasuke, no! You've got to survive, please! Where are you?

Naruto hummed, crossing his arms. Usagi was next to him, napping. "Hey, Usagi, do you think-Usagi?" A soft snore was his reply. "Aw man, Kakashi-sensei has Usagi sleeping. Didn't she say something a while back about it? 'I'm the happiest when asleep,' or something like that." He sighed. "Hey, what are those things down there?" Naruto said, noticing three bentos lying on a rock.

"Yosh(all right)! I know what those things are, they're boxed lunches!" Usagi woke up quickly. "H-huh? Boxed lunch?"

"Yeah! But-oh, I get it. A ninja must see through deception, hahaha!" Naruto giggled to himself. She just looked around. "What's so funny, I don't get it."

Kakashi stared at Sasuke. "Well, you are different from the other 3, I'll grant you that." Grunting, Sasuke started to form multiple hand symbols together. _'Horse, tiger! Fire style: Fire ball jutsu!' _

"What?" Kakashi said, surprised. "Genin can't do fire jutsu! It takes too much chakra, there's no way!" Sasuke brought his fingers to his mouth and blew out flames. When the smoke cleared away, Kakashi was no where to be found. _'Argh, where did he go? Behind me, above?'_

"Where?" Kakashi's voice said. Sasuke frantically looked around. A hand grabbed his ankle. "I'm where you least expect me." Sasuke was pulled down into the ground. "Right under your feet," Kakashi said, smirking in front of Sasuke's pissed off face.

"Earth style: Head under jutsu. Can't move, huh? That was ninjutsu, the third shinobi battle skill. You have talent, and you were right, you are...different from the others, but different isn't always better." Kakashi stood up and held his book. "They say the nail that sticks up is the one that gets hammered down." Sasuke glared at him. "Great."

Naruto laughed as he and Usagi sat on the rock with the bentos.

"Sensei said that if we don't get a bell, then we don't get any lunch, but if we eat our lunch now there's nothing he can do. It's chow time!" He exclaimed. Usagi smiled until a cold voice creeped up on them. "Hi there!" The two kids screamed.

"I-I was just joking sensei."

"Uh, y-yeah! Hahaha, you're so funny Naruto, always telling jokes!" Usagi forced a laugh, trying to get out of trouble.

"Nice try," was all Kakashi said. The alarm rang and Usagi slapped her forehead.

Team 7 gathered at the posts. Naruto and his partner in crime were tied to the posts. Everyone's stomachs grumbled. '_Yeah, I get how ya feel, stomach-kun,' _Usagi miserably thought.

"Uh oh, stomachs growling. That's too bad," Kakashi said. "Oh, by the way, about this exercise, well, I've decided I won't send any of you back to the academy."

"Haha, yeah!" Naruto grinned.

"What, I passed? All I did was faint and fall over. Do you get points for that?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, and I got caught by a rope!" Usagi gloomily admitted. Naruto and Sakura cheered and Usagi smiled. Then she noticed Sasuke's unhappy expression.

"Yes. All four of you are being dropped from the program, permanently." Everyone froze in horror.

"Drop us from the program? But that means that we can never become ninja! You said if we couldn't take the bells, we'd be sent back to the academy! You can't change your mind, why would you do that?" Naruto screeched.

"Because you don't think like ninja, you think like little kids, like brats." Sasuke rushed forward to attack but was quickly pushed to the ground. "You think its all about you."

"Let go of Sasuke, you can't on him like he's a bug!" Sakura wailed.

"You don't know what it means to be a ninja," He continued. You think its a game, huh? Why do you think we put you on squads, did you consider that question for once?"

"I-I don't know what you mean," Sakura reasoned. His words were hitting Usagi like bricks that weighed a ton each.

'_I just promised mama last night to become a great kunoichi, to take responsibility for my actions and make a good example for Shingo. He never did like me, but...'_ She started to cry.

"Odango, are you crying because of the truth? How weak," Kakashi coldly said to her.

"No, I'm not crying for you, I will never cry for you. I'm crying because I broke a very special promise. And my name," she said looking up at him with a very angry expression, "is Usagi Tsukino!" Her voice echoed in the forest and several birds flew away from the trees surrounding them.

'_Y-yikes,' _Naruto fearfully thought.

'_Oh wow, that sure was loud,' _Sakura mused.

'_Where...did that come from?' _Sasuke wondered. Kakashi stared at Usagi, who was huffing. Giving a yell, the ropes that held her to the posts broke away and she jumped into the air.

"Ice style: Crystal pain!" Twirling, a ring of what looked like crystallized ice formed around her then quickly shot out spiked shards. Everyone gasped and Kakashi quickly poofed behind her, grabbing her arms. '_Maybe, I was wrong after all...about this moon princess,' _he thought.

"That's enough," he said, forcing her to look up at him. She glared at him then quickly stopped. '_I feel so sleepy...and calm, too...'_ Usagi slumped down.

"You kids don't know what this exercise means, what its about."

"What it means?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, whether you pass or fail. Use your head and think about it. Why do we put 4 people, in this case, on a squad?"

"How should we know? We didn't make the rules!" Naruto yelled in frustration.

"It's so basic: teamwork!" Everyone stared at him in confusion, shock, and realization.

"Just working together, is that what you mean?" Sakura weakly asked.

"That's what I mean," he lightly mocked her. "It's too late now, but if all of you had came at me, you might have been able to take one. Well, anyway, it's over.

'_Wait a minute...' _"You set it up with only four people but you only had 3 bells!" Sakura shot at him. "If we worked together and got the bells, only 3 of us could keep them and that would lead to group conflict and we would break up!"

"Exactly. I purposely pitted you against each other. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves. A genin should have a natural feeling for teamwork, but you, it never even crossed your mind."

"Sakura, you obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto was right in front of you and you wouldn't even lift a finger to help him."

"Naruto, you do everything on your own. EVERYTHING."

"Usagi, you hid THE WHOLE TIME. And when you did come out, you only got yourself into more trouble than if you had just worked with someone.

"And you, Sasuke, thought the others were so far beneath you that they were worthless. Arrogance. Ninja missions are carried out in squads. Of course, you need individual skills, but teamwork is the most essential element. Every shinobi understands this. When individuals put themselves above the squad, it can lead to failure and death. For example-" Kakashi reached into his hip bag. He pulled out a kunai and held it to Sasuke's neck.

"Sakura, kill Naruto now or Sasuke dies." Everyone panicked. "That's what happens on a mission." He pulled the kunai away.

"Oh boy that was really scary," Salura whispered. Usagi nodded in agreement.

"The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice. Someone ends up dead. On every mission, your life is one the line." Kakashi walked to the stone with the lunches on it.

"Did you look at this stone? All the names engraved on it? They are all ninja who are honored as heroes in our village."

"That's it, that's it, that's it! Now I know!" Naruto said excitedly. "I decided I can have my name engraved on the stone! I'm not gonna live and die for nothing like a dog, I'm gonna be a hero, a hero!"

"They are a special kind of hero..."

"Huh? What kind of heroes are they, c'mon! Tell us!"

"..."

"Well, well?"

"They were all...K.I.A." Usagi's eyebrows furrowed. '_K...I...A?'_

"Ooh, that sounds cool!" Naruto grinned. "It means," Sakura hesitantly explained, "killed in action. They all died."

"Oh," Naruto weakly said. '_I remember...Naru's dad is a name there...' _Usagi thought, having a brief flashback.

"_Usagi-chan, now it's just me and mama,' Naru cried. She wiped her face and Usagi stared at the stone. _

"_R-right there, see? 'Hideki Osaka.' What's gonna happen now?" She clung to her rabbit friend. "It'll be alright, cause you still got me! And, we'll always be best friends, no matter what." She smiled at her friend. "Your papa's gone, but I'm not, and I'll never leave you to be lonely." Naru tightly hugged her friend and smiled._

"This is a memorial stone...the names of my closest friends are engraved here." He turned towards the kids. "Alright, I'm gonna give you guys one more chance. I'm gonna make it much harder on you. You'll have three hours to get a bell. Eat lunch now to build up strength, but Naruto doesn't get any. It's a punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat by yourself. As for you," Kakashi said, looking down at the blank Usagi.

"You may have been tied to a post before, but I was glad to see you actually make an effort to come at me. I know I disapprove of letting emotions get the better of a person, but still, your outburst was...well anyways, you can have lunch."

"One more thing. If any of you try to feed him, you'll fail. I make the rules, you follow them. Got it?" Everyone nodded and grabbed a box. Naruto brooded. His stomach growled just as everyone took a first bite.

"Grr, this is no big deal, I can handle going without eating for days or weeks, believe it! There's no big deal!" His stomach persisted. "N-no problem..." Naruto muttered. Sasuke looked up to his miserable face.

"Here," he said handing over his bento.

"Nani(what)? Sasuke you can't do that!" Sakura exclaimed. "You heard what sensei said!"

"Kakashi's gone. We need to get those bells as a team. If Naruto's hungry, he'll be weak and ineffective, and that jeopardizes the team, ruining the mission."

"In that case, here you go!" Usagi beamed from her position on top of Naruto's post (she wanted to sit up there, so just moved the clock out of the way) "You can have my lunch, too! I don't deserve it at all." She leaned down in front of him and waved the bento in his face.

'_Sasuke...Usagi...'_ Sakura thought, looking at her bento. "Uh..." she shut her eyes and thrusted the bento out towards Naruto. '_Sakura?' _He got sparkles in his eyes. Kakashi listened from behind a tree.

"Oh...thanks!"

"Don't thank me, just hurry up and eat!"

"But, isn't that your lunch?"

"Ah, uh, I'm on a diet...I mean, I don't eat as much as Sasuke, so..." she was getting frustrated. "Just take it Naruto!"

"I can't take it! Because...I can't move my hands, so you have to feed." Sakura eyes widened. "Huh?" Usagi smiled. "It's no problem, Sakura, I can do it if you want."

"Hurry," Sasuke ordered. "He can come back any minute." Sakura frowned and grabbed some rice. "Grr, this is one time only! I'll never do this again, is that clear?"

"Clear as a bell, Sakura!" Naruto smiled. Usagi quickly handed her bento to Sasuke.

"What's this for?"

"I'm not on a diet, and I did eat a lot last night, so here. You should take this. After all, isn't it the right thing to do?" She smiled at him. She heard that smiling was her special point, maybe he could soften a bit.

"No thanks." '_Chaa! Way to go Sasuke, you turn down that bimbo right away, yeah!' _Sakura couldn't help but think. "Okay then..." Usagi started to eat the eggs in the bento. Suddenly an explosion blew up in front of everyone the second Naruto took a bite.

"You!" Kakashi growled. Everyone covered their face. "You broke the rules. I hope you're ready for the punishment." He started to make hand symbols while the sky turned gray with clouds. "Any last words?" He asked.

"B-but you said..."Naruto nervously started.

"Yes?"

"You said that there were 4 of us! That's what you said and that's why...Sakura...and..."

"We're all on the squad and we're all in it together!" Sasuke finished.

"One goes, we all go!" Usagi bravely spoke up.

"Y-yeah that's right! We gave him our lunch because the four of us are one!" Naruto looked around, surprised that they would stick up for him. No one had ever done that.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!" Naruto yelled. "Believe it, that's right!"

"The four of you are one? Is that your excuse?" Kaksahi put his hands on his hips and stared at his team. They all glared at him.

"Hm," he noised, smiling. "You pass."

"Huh?"Everyone asked.

"You. Pass."

"W-what do you mean, how did we pass?" Sakura asked.

"You're the first squad that ever succeed. The others did exactly what I said, and fell into every trap. They couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that's true, but those who abandon their friends are even worse then scum."

"Oh!" Sakura said getting it. Naruto got teary eyed and smiled. Usagi nodded in agreement with him. _'Maybe your not so bad after all, Sensei!' _she cheered in her mind. Sasuke nodded and said, 'Hn."

"He's, uh, you know, kinda cool!" Naruto said, unable to hold back his tears. The sun shone brightly once again.

"The exercise is over." Kakashi announced. "Everyone passes! Squad 7 starts its first mission tomorrow!" He held a thumbs up. Everyone cheered and Naruto thrashed around.

"I did it, I did it, I'm a ninja now, believe it! Ninja, ninja, ninja!"

"Let's go home," Kakashi said. Usagi jumped off the post and held Kakashi's hand. "Hm?"

"S-s-sensei? Is it okay, if I can hold your hand on the way there?" He smiled.

"Of course you can." She smiled back. '_I can tell just now that my life training to be a kunoichi, it won't so bad with Kakashi as my teacher!'_ Suddenly a loud voice rang out.

"You guys forgot to untie meeeeeeeee!" Naruto yelled.

**I felt really emotional writing Usagi's anger towards Kakashi. No, I wasn't crying, but I still picture her yelling at him, not putting up with him any more and just letting loose. I hope it worked for you guys too :) **

**I'm also glad to see that she could forgive him at the end and give up acting childish...for now.**


	4. Of Clones and Boys

**(Written in late January to early February) Dear Lord 0_o I am not happy to write this. You know why? Yep. It's that time. It's fricken epsiode 6, which begins the Zabuza arc. Did you know it goes on for like, 14 episodes? Jesus. Well, because I love my fans (let me stop, you guys like the story, not me) I will put up with it and write this chapter. As I've said before, I'm putting the whole arc into. 4. fricken. CHAPTERS! That way, I need to do 3.5 episode PER CHAPTER. Oh god.**

**So brace yourself, go to the bathroom, grab some food, cause you'll be staring at the screen for a while :(**

**I don't Naruto or Sailor Moon.**

"Sasuke, I'm at point B."

"Sakura, I'm at point C."

"Naruto, I'm at point A, believe it!."

"Usagi, I'm at point D."

"Move slow, Naruto." Kakashi said into his ear piece. "Okay, squad 7, hm? The target has moved!" A dark figure with glistening eyes jumped out from the trees. "Follow it!"

"Over there," Naruto whispered, and everyone moved to a closer tree.

"What's your distance from the target?"

"Five meters," Naruto replied. "I'm ready, just give the signal."

"I'm ready, too," Sasuke said.

"So am I!" said Sakura.

"Count me in," said Usagi. Kakashi focused on the target.

"Okay...now!" Everyone rushed forward to the target. Naruto yelled and got their first. In his hands was...a brown tabby ca. An angry one, as well. It screeched and started clawing at Naruto. Sakura and Usagi gathered around, cooing at the cat.

"Aw, isn't she so cute?"

"Yeah, and that bow is adorable!" Sasuke listened to Kakashi in his ear piece.

"Can you verify the mission status? Is that the target?"

"Affirmative, we got a positive ID."

"Right," Kakashi said, standing. "Lost pet, Tora, captured. Mission accomplished." Suddenly, Naruto's voice blared through the ear piece.

"Can't we get a better mission than this? I hate cats!"

They all ventured back to the hokage's office. Madame Shinji was there, waiting expectantly for her cat. She cried in glee and snatched Tora. Tora tried to run away but Shinji kept a tight hold on her, rubbing the cat against her face. Usagi smiled.

"I wish I was loved like that!" Sasuke rolled his eyes. '_As if someone could love an idiot like her.' _

"Stupid cat, that kitty deserves to be squashed!" Naruto joked.

"No wonder he ran away!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Well, I still think its sweet!" They all walked up to the Third Hokage.

"Now then, for Squad 7's next mission, we have several available tasks. Huh? Among them we have babysitting the Chief Councilors three year old, helping his wife to do the shopping, digging up potatoes and-"

"No!"Naruto yelled, crossing his arms. "I wanna go on a real mission! Something challenging and excited, not some little kid stuff! C'mon old man!"

_'He's got a point.'_ Sasuke couldn't help but think.

'_He's such a pain!' _Sakura grumbled in his mind.

'_Don't bother! I'd be way happier just watching a baby,' _Usagi thought. Kakashi sighed. He knew this was coming.

"How dare you!" Iruka yelled from his spot next to the Hokage. "You're just a brand new genin with no experience! Like everyone else, you start with simple missions to develop your skills and improve yourself."

"Are you serious! Babysitting is not a mission, it's just a stupid-gah!" Kakashi hit him on the head. "Would you put a lid on it?" Kakashi muttered.

"Naruto! It seems you do not understand the tasks you have been given. Listen. Many different kinds of requests come into our village every day. From babysitting to assassinations." He took his pipe out of his mouth.

"These requests are carefully recorded, analyzed, then ranked A, B, C, or D, depending on their difficulty. We ninja are also ranked on our abilities. Hokage at the top, jounin, chuunin, and genin at the bottom. At the highest level, we select the missions and assign them to ninja who have the appropriate skills and experience. If the mission is successful, we receive a fee that supports our village and our work."

"Since you are untried genin just starting down the shinobi path, you are given D-level assignments of course. Hm?" Naruto was on the ground, babbling to Squad 7.

"So I had this taikatsu ramen yesterday, and I'm thinking miso ramen today-"

"Silence!" the Hokage ordered. Everyone turned to him. "Oh, sorry," Kakashi apologized, rubbing the back of his head.

"Argh, you always lecture me like you're my grandfather or something! But I'm not the little brat who use to pull pranks all the time. I'm a ninja now, and I want a ninja mission!" _'I'm gonna hear about this later,' _Kakashi thought, rubbing the back of his head. To his surprise, the Hokage started laughing.

"Naruto wants us to know he's not a brat, he's a former brat, and he wants a mission. So, be it." Naruto's head shot up. "Huh?"

"J-just like that?" Usagi asked. The Hokage nodded. "Since he's so determined, I'll give him a C-rank mission. You'll be body guards on a journey."

"Really? Yes, yes! Who are we guarding? A princess? A busy councilor?"

"Don't be so impatient. I'll bring him in now. Send in our visitor!" He called out. A tan man holding a bottle of liquor walked in. He had gray spiky hair, a beard and glasses.

"What the? A bunch of snot nosed kids?" He took a swig from the bottle. "And you, the little one with the idiotic look on his face. You really expect me to believe that you're a ninja?"

"Gyah-ha-ha!" Naruto burst out laughing. "Who's the little one with the idiotic look on his-" His teammates got behind him to let to let him process that he was laughing at himself. Naruto thought long and hard. Wasn't he shorter than Sasuke and Sakura? Even Usagi was taller than him!

"I'll demolish ya!" Naruto growled while Kakashi held him back.

"You can't demolish the client, Naruto, it doesn't work that way."The man stopped drinking to face the kids.

"I am Tazuna, a master bridge builder and I must return to my country. I'm building a bridge there that'll change out world, and I expect you to get me there safely, even if it means giving up your life." Everyone froze. Where they prepared to?

Within the hour, everyone started to exit the village gates. They all had a bag packed with clothes and weapons. Naruto jumped around, happy.

"What are you so excited about?" Sakura asked.

"This is my first time leaving the village! I'm a traveler now, believe it!"

"Am I supposed to trust my life to this runt? He's a joke!" Tazuna complained. Kakashi laughed.

"He's with me, and I'm a jounin, so you don't need to worry." Naruto quickly turned around.

"Never insult a ninja! It's a big mistake, and I'm one of the greatest ninja ever! Someday, I'm gonna be Hokage and you'll look up to me! My name's Naruto Uzumaki, remember it!" Usagi shook her head.

"It's worse than believe it..."

"Hokage are powerful and wise," Tazuna muttered, taking a swig from his bottle. "You are puny and brainless. The day you become Hokage I'll sprout wings and fly." Naruto growled and started a heated talk with Tazuna while everyone else sighed in annoyance.

"I told you, you're supposed to protect the client not attack the client," Kakashi frowned. Two faces peered at the group from trees.

"Say, Mr. Tazuna," Sakura said after walking for a while.

"What is it?"

"You're country is the land of waves, right?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Kakashi-sensei, there are ninja in that country too, aren't there?"

"No, there are no ninja in the land of waves. But, in other countries, there are hidden villages, each with their own customs and cultures, where ninja reside." He went on to discuss the different fire and wind lands, as well as the leaders.

"Wow, so Lord Hokage's important!" Sakura exclaimed. '_Hmph, is he all that important? I'm not buying it,' _her inner self said. '_I got him with my sexy jutsu, he's not so good,' _Naruto frowned.

"Hey! You all just doubted Lord Hokage, didn't you? That's what you were thinking?" Kakashi sternly said. Naruto and Sakura quickly shook their heads no.

"Well, in any case, there's no battled in a C-rank mission, so don't worry." Suddenly Sasuke turned around. He thought he heard something. '_No, you're just imagining things,' _he assured himself. The walk grew quiet and peaceful. Nature was at it's fullest, and everything made a relaxing sound. Usagi enjoyed hearing the rodent animals scurry around for food of some sort. Kakashi turned to his left for a moment before continuing straight. A loud explosion was set off and two men had Kakashi trapped in spiky chains.

"What?" He said, in disbelief.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Usagi exclaimed, worried. Sakura and Naruto joined in on the confusion as to where these men came from. Right in front of everyone's eyes, Kakashi was crushed into nothing by the chains. "Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled. The two ninja got behind him and chuckled evilly.

"Now its your turn," one of them whispered. Sasuke jumped up, throwing weapons and pinning their chains to a tree. He then kicked the men in the face and they were flung away. One rushed at Sakura.

'_I gotta stop him, I gotta stop him!' _"Stay behind me!" she ordered Tazuna, gripping a kunai tightly at her chest. Sasuke frowned, jumping in front of Sakura. The man's iron glove was about to make contact with Sasuke until Kakashi suddenly put him into a half nelson.

"Hi," was all Kakashi said.

'_Kakashi-sensei, he's alive!' _Sakura jovially thought.

'_Then...he must have used a substitution jutsu. Clever!'_ Usagi thought.

'_Hmph, show off,' _Sasuke said, which was very ironic.

"Huh? But he was-!" Naruto said, catching on very slowly. He noticed a bunch of logs where Kakashi had supposedly died. "Kakashi-sensei...used the replacement jutsu!" Kakashi walked away before turning to Naruto.

"Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I just...didn't think you'd freeze up like that." Tazuna sighed, relieved. '_They saved me after all...'_

"Good job, Sasuke, very smooth. You too Sakura." Naruto and Usagi sulked.

'_I was-'_

_'-useless!' _Naruto finished.

'_And Sasuke was so cool-' _Naruto continued while Usagi picked up.

'-_and not even scared. Wasn't he-'_

_'-scared at all? He looks so calm, not a scratch on him-'_

_'-but I was so lame!'_ Usagi pouted at the thought.(Can't tell you how much I love to write scenes like that) '_Why can't I keep up with him!' _the blondes thought, green with envy. Sasuke glanced Naruto.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You're not hurt, are you?" He turned, smirking at Naruto. "Scaredy cat." Naruto growled. Usagi stepped forward.

"You leave him alone! Not everyone is like you!"

"Oh I'm sorry, baka(stupid) rabbit." She blushed lightly with anger.

"Grr, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, only to be stopped by Kakashi.

"Naruto, these ninja have poison in their gloves, so stand still. We need to take it out of you quickly." Naruto glanced at his bleeding hand and whined. How did he not notice that?

"You have to open the wound and remove it," Kakashi continued. "It's in your blood so don't move around. That spreads the poison." Kakashi grew serious. "By the way, Tazuna-san." Tazuna jumped a little. "Y-yeah, what?"

"We need to talk." He set the semi-conscious men under a tree and tied them to it.

"They're chuunin of the village hidden in the mist. Their specialty is relentless attack. They keep fighting no matter what the sacrifice." One of the men spoke.

"How did you know about our ambush?" Kakashi spoke in a voice that said, 'Really? Do you think I'm stupid?'

"A puddle. On a clear day, when it hasn't rained in weeks?" Tazuna turned to him.

"In that case, why did you leave it for the genin to fight?"

"I could have taken them out quickly, but then I would have learned nothing." He sounded very matter-of-fact like. "I had to know who their target was, and what they were after." Tazuna stiffened.

"Hm? What are you getting at?" He gruffly defended.

"This: I wanted to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja. Or, if they were after you. The master bridge builder. When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection, from robbers and highway men. You didn't say there were ninja looking for you, hunting you down." Usagi thought it over.

"So...Tazuna-san wants us killed?" she whispered so only her teammates heard her.

"Otherwise, it'd be a B-rank mission. We were only suppose to help you until you got home to build your bridge. We should be payed for a B mission. I'm sure you have your reasons, but lying is not acceptable. We now have to stay with you the whole way."

"We're genin, it's too advanced for out level of training," Sakura tried to reason, kindly. "And I really think we should be treating Naruto's wound to get the poison out as soon as possible." '_Sakura...cares?' _Naruto thought, shocked. "His hand may be a problem, so we should go back to the village," Kakashi said. Growling, Naruto stabbed his hand with a kunai. Everyone stared at him in shock.

"Why am I so different?" He gritted out. "Why am I always...gah!" Sakura rushed forward. "Naruto! Stop that, what are you doing?"

"I worked so hard to get here, pushing myself until it hurt!Training alone for hours, anything to get stronger." Usagi smiled. '_Naruto really is something else.' _"I want to reach my dream. I will never back down and let someone rescue me. I will never run away, or lose to Sasuke. Upon this wound, I make a pledge: Bridge builder, I'll complete this mission, and protect you with this kunai knife." He turned and grinned. "Believe it."

"Uh, Naruto, that was really cool how you took the poison out and all." '_I'll say,' _everyone thought. "But if you lose anymore blood, you're going to die." Naruto froze and had a panic attack. He shouted about how he was too young to die and he wasn't Hokage yet. Kakashi sighed and started to bandage his wound. Naruto didn't miss, however, a serious expression that passed on his leaders face. They continued for the rest of the day until they arrived at a foggy sea port. A rower was there, ready to take them to Tazuna's town.

"The fogs so thick, you can't see anything!" Sakura whispered. "I've never seen fog like this," Usagi agreed. That had to be the only talk on the ride. After a few minutes, the rower spoke.

"The bridge isn't too far away now. We'll be at the Land of Waves." Usagi shuddered. '_Is everyone there this depressing? Dear Lord!' _To their right, a large bridge, half complete rose out of the water.

"Woo! It's huge!" Naruto yelled. The rower glared at him. "Quiet! No noise. Don't you see why we're moving like this? So they don't see us." Team 7 looked at him in curiosity. Kakashi turned to Tazuna.

"Mister Tazuna, before we reach the pier, I want to ask you something. The men who are after you...I need to know why."

"I have no choice...rather, I want to tell you," Tazuna admitted. "The one who seeks my life is a very short man who casts a very long and deadly shadow."

"A deadly shadow?" Kakashi asked. "Who is it?"

"You know him, or at least I'm sure you've heard his name before. He's one of the wealthiest men in the world...the shipping magnet, Gato." Kakashi gasped.

"Gato? Of Gato Transport? He's a business leader, everyone knows him." '_I beg to differ,' _Usagi thought. Naruto spoke her thoughts. "Who, who? What, what?"

"Gato," Tazuna said, "he is a business tycoon from the industrial world, that's true. But below the surface, with the same ruthless methods he uses to take over businesses and nations. He sells drugs and contra bands using gangs and ninja. It was one year ago when Gato set his sight on the Land of Waves. He came into our island and used his wealth to take control of our transport and shipping. Anyone who stood in his way suddenly disappeared. In an island like this, the one who controls transport controls everything." Team 7 felt grateful that there were no such problem in their own village.

"There's one thing he fears. The bridge. When complete, it will join us to land and that will break his control. I...am the bridge builder."

"So that's it," Sakura said, breaking his long and boring talk. "If you're building the bridge, you're in the gangster's way."

"That means," Sasuke said, tuning in, "that those guys in the forest, they were working for Gato."

"And I have a feeling that they won't be the only guys we deal with for a while," Usagi spoke up. Naruto was confused and bored. '_Uh...hmm...'_

"I don't understand," Kakashi said. "If you knew he was dangerous and send men to eliminate you, why would you hide that from us?"

"Because the Land of Waves is a small, povered nation. Even our nobles have little money. The common people who are building this bridge can't pay for an A or B rank mission. If you end the mission when you drop me off, there will be no bridge. I'd be assassinated." He looked up at all of them. "But, don't feel bad about that. Of course, my sweet little grandson will be upset and cry. And my daughter will condemn the ninja of the Hidden Leaf, blaming you for my death and leaving her alone in the world." The genin (save for Sasuke) all shifted uncomfortably.

'_Leave him to die when he has a devoted family? No way! We gotta do something!' _Usagi thought.

"Well," Kakashi started, tapping his headband. "I guess we have no choice. We'll have to keep guarding you."

"Oh...I'm very grateful!" '_I win,' _Tazuna slyly thought. Before long, the sky cleared and the world seemed a whole less gloomy. The rower dropped everyone off at the docks and departed quickly after.

"All right, take me to my home in one piece," Tazuna demanded. '_Geez, so bossy!' _Naruto angrily thought. Kakashi walked a bit slowly. '_The next ninja they'll send will be jounin, elite ninjas.' _Naruto walked calmly until Sasuke walked next to him. '_Grr, Sasuke won't get all the glory this time, believe it!' _He scanned the area before yelling, "Over there!" He threw a kunai into the bushes.

"Eh? Already attacking us?" Usagi asked, scared. Naruto stood still before rubbing his head.

"Nah, just a mouse."

"Yeah right! Everyone can see through your stupid tricks! You're so obvious, it's embarrassing," Sakura griped.

"Naruto, those kunai knives are dangerous!" Kakashi scolded.

"Grr...stop scaring me so much you little dwarf!" Tazuna shouted. Naruto scanned the area, trying to find a worthy target. He threw another kunai before Sakura bopped his head.

"That's it Naruto!"

"Yeah! The poor man doesn't have all day, y'know!" Usagi chimed in. "Saying something decent, baka(idiot) rabbit? I'm speechless." She frowned at Sasuke. "Oh shut up! You think you're so amazing, well you're not!" Kakashi peeked behind the bush. Naruto hit a rabbit.

"Look what you did!" Sakura angrily said. Usagi grabbed the ends of her ponytails. "Ooh, a harmed rabbit! Naruto, you are so dead now!"

"Gah! I'm so sorry little rabbit!" Naruto apologized, rubbing it to his face.

"All that for a rodent?" Tazuna asked, annoyed.

Kakashi stared a bit more at the rabbit. '_A snow rabbit...they only have white fur during the winter. It must have been raised indoors, away from light, for one purpose. Replacement technique.' _"Look out!" he yelled. A huge sword was flung into a tree. Looking up, they notice a man standing on top of it. Naruto grinned.

'_Here it is...my chance to shine...believe it! I'm ready, and I won't lose to Sasuke!'_

"Well, well. If it isn't Zabuza Momoichi, the rouge ninja from the Village in the Mist," Kakashi said, stepping forward. Naruto ran forward to but was stopped.

"You're in the way. Get back."

"Aw, but why?"

"He's not like those other ninja. He's in a whole new league. If he's the opponent, I'll need this(He placed his hand on his headband) This could be treacherous."

"Kakashi of the Sharingan eye. Did I get that right?" Zabuza asked. Sasuke gasped and felt uneasy. _'The...sharingan? Impossible!' _

_'Sharingan? What is that?' _Naruto thought.

'_What is he talking about?' _Sakura thought, confused.

'_Sharingan...isn't that...?' _Usagi contemplated.

"Now quick! Manji formation. Protect the bridge builder and stay out of this fight. I taught you all team work now it's time to put it to use!" Kakashi ordered. He lifted his headband to reveal his left eye. It had a scar running vertically. The lid opened to reveal a deep red iris and three black dots around the pupil.

'_Gah, his eye! What happened to it?' _Naruto frantically thought.

"Well, I'll see the sharingan in action. Truly an honor," Zabuza remarked. Naruto growled.

"Grr, everyone says 'Sharingan, sharingan!' What is that!" Sasuke suddenly spoke up. "Sharingan...a rare power that resides in the eyes. The user of this visual jutsu, or 'doujusu' can instantly comprehend any gentjutsu, taijutsu or ninjutsu. Then he can reflect the attack onto the opponent. The sharingan is very rare and special...but there's more to it, a lot more."

'_Ah...right! But I thought that it only worked for Sasuke's family?' _Usagi concluded.

"You got it right boy, but you only scratched the surface. The sharingan can analyze the technique and copy it to the last detail." Suddenly the air turned foggy. Zabuza continued on about how well known Kakashi was.

'_What? He's that famous?' _Sakura thought. Sasuke wasn't phased.

'_Wait a minute. The sharingan is a rare trick that only occurs with the Uchiha clan, my clan! Could he be...' _

_'Of course! He must be related to the Uchiha family in some way!' _Usagi thought, drawing a new conclusion.

"Enough. I need to exterminate the old man." Team 7 jumped in front of Tazuna. Zabuza retaliated by jumping into a nearby lake. He raised a hand and caused waves to form.

"He's building up a large amount of chakra," Kakashi said. Just like that, Zabuza disappeared. "He vanished!" Naruto exclaimed. "Sensei..." Sakura started.

"He'll come after me first. Zabuza Momoichi is the former leader of an assassination group, very dangerous. Assassinating happens so quick, you don't even realize you're dead. The sharingan can't even neutralize it, so be on your toes. Well, if we fail, we only lose our lives."

"How can you say that!" Sakura griped. The fog grew thicker. Soon Kakashi disappeared. Zabuza came out of no where, naming the 8 vital points of the body. "Which do I go for first?" He asked, cruelly.

"Kakashi-sensei, don't die!" Usagi cried. '_What a stupid girl. There's no way Kakashi can die, right?' _Sasuke thought to himself, shifting his weight from one foot to another. A sudden blast of chakra came their way, forcing out a heavy wind. Sweat poured over Sasuke's face. '

_A tiny breath, a drop of blood, a leaf going by, the Shraingan uses them to kill! If it goes on, I'll go insane.' _He continued on. '_Two jounin, at a clash leading to death...I've never felt anything this chilling! I feel as if I'll die...no, I'd rather take my own life.' _"Sasuke, hey you all right?" Usagi asked, noticing his fearful expression.

"Don't talk to me!" He hissed. He clenched his kunai and raised it towards his stomach. "Sasuke no!" Usagi said in a loud whisper.

"Calm down Sasuke. I'll protect you with my life, I'll protect all of you. I won't allow my comrades to die, trust me," he assured, smiling at all of them.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Zabuza muttered, suddenly appearing between the team. "It's all over for you." Kakashi lunged forward and punched Zabuza in the stomach. Water leaked out instead of blood. Everyone gasped as they realized it was just a clone. "Die!" His deep voice yelled as he sliced Kakashi in half. He too turned into a puddle of water. '_Grr, that sharingan copied me!' _Zabuza thought angrily. Kakashi was behind him with a kunai to his neck. "Don't move. Now it's over." He tightened his grip. "You're finished." Naruto cheered. "All right!" Sakura and Usagi giggled along. Then, Zabuza joined in with a fearsome chuckle.

"Finished? You just don't get it, do you? I'll never be defeated by a copy-cat ninja like you. But you are full of surprises, though. You had your clone give that little speech while you hid in the mist." He kicked Kakashi high into the air and rushed forward with his sword. Zabuza slowed, noticing spikes on the ground. '_Grr, trying to slow me down?'_

Kakashi surfaced form the lake. '_The waters dense...heavy...' _"Water prison jutsu!" A large water ball formed around Kakashi. "Sensei!" Naruto yelled. Zabuza turned and performed a clone jutsu.

'_He disappeared again!' _Naruto was kicked in the stomach and his headband came off. "You're just brats," Zabuza scolded.

"Get the bridge builder and run, you can't fight! He used a lot of power to keep me in this prison, so his clone can't leave too far. Get as far away as you can, run!" '_Run away...not an option. It __became impossible when you got caught. It doesn't matter how fast we run or how far we go. He'll __catch us and wipe us out. In the end, if we're on our own, we're finished. The only way to win is by rescuing you!' _"Let's do it!" He exclaimed, running to Zabuza. "Kuso(Damn), what are you doing!" Usagi yelled. He flung many kunai to Zabuza, who just blocked them with his sword. Sasuke jupmed up, surprising the assassin. "Now!" Sasuke yelled.

"Too easy." Zabuza grabbed his throat then threw him away. "Sasuke, no!" Sakura cried. "He got Sasuke!" Naruto fearfully said. '_So this is what a jounin is, a true ninja! I-I've got to get away!' _He turned but his hand cramped up. Staring at it, Naruto remembered his promise earlier about not running away or losing to Sasuke. Many more flashbacks danced across his mind about everyone and everything he'd encountered so far in his life as a ninja. '_That's right, I'm a ninja now, believe it. I took an oath of pain, no backing away.' _Yelling, he charged at Zabuza.

"Naruto, no!" Kakashi yelled.

"Grr, Naruto, what are you doing!" Sakura growled.

"You'll be killed," Usagi protested fearfully. Zabuza went 'hmph,' then smacked Naruto away.

"What'd you think by charging at him by yourself, even Sasuke wouldn't have done that! We're only genin, you can't go against a jounin, what'd you think you'd accomplish by that?" Sakura rambled on. Naruto held out his hand which now had his headband in it. '_The headband? That's what he wanted?' _

"Hey you, the freak with no eyebrows," Naruto muttered, getting up. "Put this in your bingo book: The ninja that will become the Hokage of the Village in the leaves, he never backs down. His name...is Naruto Uzumaki."

'_Naruto...' _Kakashi thought.

'_Huh, I thought he was all talk, but this kid's got guts!' _Tazuna thought, impressed.

'_There's my knucklehead of a friend,' _Usagi bashfully thought.

"Alright Sasuke listen up. Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you."

"I got a plan."

"Yeah, so now you're thinking of teamwork, huh?" Sakura blushed thinking of how determined Naruto was. "Team, let's go wild. Ok, ready? Let's take this guy down!" Naruto announced.

"Hm. Big words for a little man. You think your plan will keep you in the game?" Zabuza taunted. '_This isn't good...'_Kakashi worried.

"What are you doing, I told you to run! This fight was over the moment I got caught! Stay on mission, save the bridge builder!" Naruto looked at the bridge builder.

"This is all because of me...I won't stand in your way, do what you must!" Zabuza let out a maniacal laugh. "You still haven't learned anything, haven't you? Still playing little games...When I was your age, this hand had already crushed many opponents." Everyone gasped. "Zabuza the demon..." Kakashi said. He explained about the Blood mist village and their custom of killing students to become a ninja.

"That's so cruel..." Sakura whispered.

"Imagine if...I were forced to kill everyone...Naru-chan...Sakura...all of them dead," Usagi whimpered, feeling dizzy suddenly. "It felt so...good!" Zabuza exclaimed, kicking Sasuke to the ground then stomping into his chest. Sasuke cried out and spat up blood. '_I can't just stand here, no way!' _

"Ice style: Crystal Pain!" She twirled up and ice shards flew towards Zabuza. He lazily picked up his sword and deflected the shards. "Itai!(Ow)" Usagi cried out, falling with cuts all over. Naruto growled. How dare Zabuza do that to his comrades?

"Stop right there! Shadow Clone Justu!" His clones appeared everywhere, impressing Zabuza a little. "Here we go!" The clones said in unison. They rushed forward to stab Zabuza who simply knocked them all down.

"His skills are too advanced," Tazuna commented. "He's too powerful, there's no way to beat him." Naruto went into his bag as he was flung away. '_I'm not giving up, I still got this!' _

"Sasuke!" He yelled, tossing over a large shuriken with 4 turning blades. '_So that was your plan. Not bad, Naruto!' _"Demon wind shuriken: Windmill of Shadows!" It went to Zabuza, who caught it. Unexpectedly, another showed up. Zabuza jumped up to dodge it, shocking Sakura. '_H-he dodged it!' _But then, the shuriken turned into clones of Naruto.

"Take this!" He yelled, throwing a kunai. Zabuza panicked and got grazed under the eye by it. Growling, Zabuza moved to throw a large shuriken at Naruto. "I'll destroy you," he glowered. He was stopped by Kakashi, whose hand was now bleeding.

"Naruto...that's an excellent plan. You've grown, haven't you?" Naruto laughed and explained his plan.

"That was a fluke!" Tazuna complained. '_Call it a fluke, but their team work was flawless! They didn't even need to talk to each other. They act like they hate each other, but they work perfect together!' _Sakura mused. '_Hmph, he wants to complain when he's the one who put us all on this death trap?' _Usagi thought.

Zabuza quickly put together hand signs. Kakashi, using his sharingan, copied the movements. They summoned water dragons that made big waves crashing into Team 7. '_So many hand signs and he got them perfectly!' _Sasuke thought.

Little did they all know that up in the trees, a figure came to spectate the battle.

**Sweet Jesus, is writing these going to take some getting use to! I hope you guys are satisfied with this, because I'm all famished now(literally). I'm not sure when's the next time I'll update since this takes so long, so please don't jabber at me about it. **

**And now to eat some ramen, I s'pose.**


	5. Inari, the little bastard

**Argh, I'm an awful fan fiction writer!**

**Recap: Zabuza showed up and crap and then there was a figure in the tree (unenthusiastic author is unenthusiastic)**

**During my long brake, I didn't acquire the rights to Naruto or Sailor Moon**

'_My movements...it's as if...it's as if he knows-'_

"What you're going to do next?" Kakashi said to Zabuza. His eyes widened.

'_What! Is he reading my mind as well? He looks at me with that eye...'_

"Makes you furious, doesn't it?" Kakashi teased. Zabuza huffed and put his hands together. He tried to compose himself.

"All you're doing is copying me, like a monkey!"

"You can't beat me with cheap tricks. I'll crush you!" They both said at the same time. Zabuza shook a little this time. "Ugh. When I finish with you, you'll never open that monkey mouth again!" A shadow grew behind Kakashi. "What is that?" It seemed to be taking on the appearance of...him. Zabuza. That was very confusing. '_But how! Is that his illusion jutsu?' _

"Water style: Water Vortex Jutsu!" His sharigan eye swirled around, making the dark shapes in them turn into one black ring. This made Zabuza go even crazier.

"What!" The water under them swirled and formed an arch over Kakashi. The arch turned into a huge ball of water and hurled itself towards Zabuza. Usagi weakly watched from her position on the ground as Zabuza was thrown underwater.

"Oh my. I hope I never get on Kakashi-sensei's bad side."

'_I was just about to create a vortex, but he created one first!' _Zabuza exclaimed in his head. The water was destructive and even knocked some trees down. It rushed past team 7 who futility covered their faces. Usagi, still on the ground, tried to hoist herself onto a tree. She was swept up in the water.

"Usagi-chan!" Naruto said before getting swept away as well. Luckily, the blondes managed to grab onto branches and stay out of harms way. For now, at least. Zabuza wasn't as lucky. As soon as he managed to get to safety, his limbs were pinned to a tree with kunai.

"You're finished," Kakashi said from his spot in the branches. The water receded back into the lake. Zabuza looked up, defeated.

"How? Can you see into the future?"

"Yes. This is your last battle." Kakashi picked up a kunai. "Ever." Two needles flew out into Zabuza's neck. Everyone gasped and looked around. Where had they some from? There was laughing. They looked u to see the figure in the tree.

"You were right. It was his last battle." A feminine voice. Naruto growled and looked away. Kakashi jumped forward to check Zabuza's pulse.

"No vital signs," he muttered.

"Thank you. I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time now, waiting for the chance to finally take him down." The boy bowed forward in respect.

"By your mask, I can tell you're a tracker ninja from the mist." The boy straightened up.

"Impressive. You're well informed." Naruto slid sideways, in a fighting stance. He didn't trust him.

"Argh, a tracker!"

"Naruto, you don't even know what that is," Sakura scolded. "You missed the lesson on it as usual." She explained to him the special roles of trackers and how they are specially trained to eliminate rouge ninjas with secrets.

"That's correct. I am an elite tracker from the Village Hidden in the Mist." Kakashi narrowed his eyes. '_From his voice and size, he must be the same age as Naruto, yet he's an assassin. He's no ordinary kid, but what is he?' _The wind picked up. Naruto growled and rushed forward to glare at this boy.

"What is this! Who do you think you are?" Everyone focused on Naruto, who was now pointing. "Did you hear me?"

"Easy, Naruto. He's not our enemy."

"Huh? That's not the point! Did you see what he did? Zabuza was so big and powerful, but this kid who's no bigger than me brought him down with one move, like it was nothing. What does that make us? We're just fumbling around. We don't know anything. How can I accept that!"

"Even if you can't accept it, it happened. In this world, there are kids who are younger than you, and stronger than me." Sasuke and Naruto frowned. The boy jumped down to collect Zabuza's body. With a short apology, he left. Naruto growled.

"He's gone, Naruto." Naruto started to punch the ground.

"What are we doing here!" Sakura sighed. "Naruto..." Kakashi turned.

"We haven't completed our mission yet. We still have to get this bridge builder to his bridge." Tazuna chuckled, nervously.

"Well, sorry for causing all this trouble! When we get back to the village, you can all rest at my place."

"Let's get a move on," Kakashi announced. He took a step and suddenly collapsed. Everyone gasped.

"W-what happened?" Sakura asked.

"Kakashi-sensei...Kakashi-sensei!" They inspected his body. He didn't move. Usagi started to panic.

"O-oh, oh no! You think he's dead?" Tazuna rubbed the back of his head. This was all his fault that these people were getting hurt.

"No, I don't think it's that severe. Let's just lift him to my house, it's not so far from here." Team 7 grabbed a limb and tried to drag him along. '_He's too heavy!' _Sakura thought. '_His body is dropping, that's so disrespectful!' _Usagi thought as well. Eventually they all made it to Tazuna's house without any trouble. His daughter made a bed for him and they set him down.

"Phew! Let's never do that again!" Naruto announced. Sakura hit him over the head.

"Shut up, that's our sensei!" Within the hour, just as the sun started to shine, Kakashi woke up. '_Ugh, I think I over did it with my sharingan.' _Tazuna's daughter walked in to check on him.

"Waking up, huh?" She said it kind of annoyed, he noted. "You all right?"

"I've been better. It'll be a week before I can move normally." He tried to sit up, but that was a flop.

"See? It's better if you don't move, so just lie down." Kakashi nodded and laid back down. Team 7 and Tazuna made their way into his room.

"Hey, the sensei's coming around," Naruto said. Usagi bounced up and down. "Oh goodie! He isn't dead after all!" Sakura rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "Listen, sensei. Your sharingan is amazing and all, but if it puts that much strain on you maybe it's not worth it." Kakashi apologized and Tazuna laughed.

"You did manage to take down one of the most powerful ninja assassins, so we'll be safe for a while." Sakura brought a fist to her mouth. "Right. You know that boy with the mask, what about him?"

"Yeah, he was very mysterious," Usagi concurred. Kakashi, who seemed to know it all, explained that the boy was part the ANBU, and elite squad that worked right under the Kage. Long explanation short, this was a tough ninja not to be messed with. Suddenly he grew silent.

'_What is this? If Zabuza is finished, why do I feel this way?' Something's wrong...like I missed something...'_

"Huh? You okay, Sensei?" Naruto asked, cautiously.

"Yeah Sensei! That's not funny, that's scary," Usagi whined uneasily. Kakashi looked up. "Hm? Yeah. To finish what I was saying, tracker ninja deal with the body immediately. On the spot, so there's no room for error."

"Is that really important," Sakura asked.

"Think about it. Do you remember what that tracker ninja did with Zabuza's body?" They all tried to remember. The boy had picked up Zabuza and whooshed away.

"We don't know what he did. I mean, I guess he took it away somewhere."

"Yeah, that's all that really happened. So?" Usagi added.

"Exactly. But why? He should've worked on Zabuza right there, as quickly as possible. Think of the weapons he used for the take down. Do you remember what they were?" Sasuke thought back. The tracker had shot needles into Zabuza's neck.

"Throwing needles...no way!" He realized what Kakashi was getting at.

"Exactly. None of it adds up." Naruto sighed, trying to let the information sink frowned. "What are you all yammering about? You demolished that assassin."

"Here's the truth. Zabuza's still alive." The tension in the room rose to high level and 3 of the genin and Tazuna had an outburst.

"Kakashi-sensei, you checked him yourself! You said his heart stopped!"

"Y-yeah! What is he, like a zombie or something?" Usagi asked, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"It did stop, but that was just a temporary state to simulate death. The weapons that tracker used are called senbon. They can pierce deeply but rarely kill if they hit a vital organ. Not in the neck. They're modified for things like acupuncture. Tracker are trained to know every detail of the body, causing the heart to stop temporarily while keeping the body alive is an easy task for them.

"First, he carried Zabuza's body away, even though it is much heavier than him. Second, he used senbon, which have a precise effect but are rarely fatal. From these 2 facts we can conclude that he wasn't trying to destroy Zabuza, he was trying to save him."

"C'mon, you're over thinking this, aren't you?" Tazuna grumbled, ever the doubter.

"Encountering suspicion, the ninja prepares quickly. Hesitation leads to disaster. Every shinobi knows this saying." Naruto shook from excitement.

"Sensei, you said prepare quickly, but how can we do that when you can't move?" Kakashi laughed. "Huh?"

"I can still train you."

"Hold on! A little last minute training won't make us strong enough to fight Zabuza. You could barely defeat him with your sharingan. We have to be reasonable about this!" Her face was red from anger. '_What are you trying to get us killed, chaa!' _Sakura's inner voice complained. But Kakashi wouldn't have any of that.

"Sakura, why was I able to beat Zabuza? Because you all helped me. You've all grown." Naruto smiled at the thought. '_Have I? That's good, then! Maybe now I can be the perfect role model for Shingo!' _Usagi smiled at her own thoughts.

"Naruto. You've grown the most." Kakashi grinned, but you couldn't tell from his mask. '_Oh, of course,' _Usagi thought, disheartened. '_He does seem stronger and more confident, but...'_ Sakura trailed off in her head.

"So you noticed, Kakashi-sensei! Things are gonna get better, believe it!" A small voice piped up from behind everyone.

"I don't believe it, and nothings gonna be good." They all turned. A small boy, maybe around 7, stood there glaring at Naruto. In fact, he looked a little like Sasuke, just with a large hat on.

"Who are you!" Naruto accused, pointing a finger rudely in the boy's direction. Tazuna sat up and held out his arms.

"Ah, Inari! Where have you been?" Inari ran up to him.

"Welcome back, Grandpa!" His mom frowned and stepped forward. "Inari that was very rude! These ninjas saved your grandpa's life." Tazuna laughed.

"It's ok, Inari, I'm rude to them too." The little boy went back to glaring. '_Gee, for such a cute kid he's a real brat, isn't he?' _Usagi thought. "Mom don't you see? These people are gonna die! Gato and his men will come back and wipe them out!" Naruto got up, pissed as all hell.

"What did you say brat?"

"Calm down," Usagi tried to reason. "No use, baka(idiot) bunny," Sasuke muttered. Quickly, she jabbed him in the arm. Luckily for her, Sakura didn't notice.

"Listen up! You know what a super ninja is? That's me, only better. I'm gonna be Hokage! This Gato or Blato or whatever he's called is no match for a real hero like me!"

"Ha. There's no such thing as a hero. You're just full of stupid ideas!" The room got quiet. Anger boiled over in Naruto like a pot of hot water on a very high level setting.

"What'd you say!" Sakura held him back and Usagi grabbed his ankles.

"Naruto calm down!" They exclaimed at the same time. Inari got up and said one final thing. "If you wanna stay alive then you'd better go back to where you came from." Sasuke frowned, trying to figure out why the kid was so mad. Sure, Sasuke was mad too, but that was excusable. Someone had done something horrible to him. But what the hell had they done to this kid?

"Inari, where are you going?" Tazuna asked.

"To look out at the ocean, I wanna be alone." He walked through the sliding screen doors and left. Naruto growled, wanting to kill Inari. Tazuna apologized for the kid's behavior. Usagi sighed, shaking her head.

About an hour later, while Inari's mom and Tazuna left to run errands, Team 7 went outside to train. Naruto arrived to the nearby forest looking a little upset. Usagi noticed.

"Naruto, why so sad?"

"I saw Inari, and he was crying."

"What? Why?"

"I dunno. He did say something about his dad, though." She tilted her head, regretting her thoughts about him before. Maybe he acted like that because of a traumatic experience or something. Kakashi showed up and everyone composed themselves.

"All right, training starts now."

"Right!"

"First, we'll begin with a review of chakra, the ninja's basic source of power, understanding chakra is essential." Sasuke grumbled. "We know that." Naruto tried to act like he did too.

"He's right! A long time ago, we learned about, uh, cachra!" Kakashi shook his head.

"Chakra. Go ahead Sakura." She put her hands on her hips, mad that she was given the task of refreshing Naruto's memory on chakra. How dumb could he get? Lazily during the explanation, Usagi made corkscrews with her hair around her finger.

'_What's Mamoru doing at this moment? Probably off on some exciting mission somewhere. That must be so cool to be on his team! You get to work alongside each other and talk and share secrets...maybe one of those is a confession of a sort about how he likes a kunoichi. A certain one with particularly gorgeous gold hair. Yeah! And how her eyes make him thing of the special blueberry ice cream that the sweets store sells. He'd say 'Oh my love, how I've longed to tell you my feelings!' then there'd be a kiss and this angel of a girl would be so happy and then we-' _

"Oh I can't take it!" Usagi squealed, wrapping her arms around herself and grinning. Then she looked up. Some how, she had managed to lie down and roll around in excitement. Team 7 stared at her with bewildered looks.

"O-oh dear. I'm sorry, this isn't right at all." She got up, blushing. "What were you thinking of?" Naruto asked, kid of nervous as to what she would say.

"Um...cats?"

"Yeah, well, anyways...Kakashi-sensei, isn't the whole point of these complicated explanations? The whole point is to learn the jutsu, isn't it?"

"Naruto's right for once," Sasuke agreed. "We're already using chakra energy in our jutsu."

"No! You have not 'mastered' this power, you've barely scratched the surface of it." That got Naruto started.

"What do you mean!"

"Calm down and listen. It's just like Sakura said. You have to draw on spiritual and physical energies, and then combine them within yourself. But how do you do that? You must select and combine the proportions of chakra in jutsus or else they won't work. Until now you've only guessed and unless you can balance and control it, it's worthless. The jutsu won't work and you'll waste so much energy, then you can't fight at all."

"Uh, so how do we change that?" Naruto asked sheepishly.

"Train so hard it becomes second nature. To achieve this, you must be ready to put your life on the line."

"What...do we have to do?" Sakura asked uneasily. Their sensei chuckled.

"Climb a tree." They all repeated after him in disbelief. "There's just one catch. No hands."

"What? You're kidding," Sakura said.

"Am I? Let's see." He did a small hand sign and used crutches to get to a tree. Amazingly, he was able to get up without using his hands.

"He's climbing..." Naruto said in awe.

"Straight up..." Sakura said just as impressed.

"And he's only using his feet!" Usagi exclaimed. "What is he, a spider?" Kakashi resting underneath a branch, still on his feet just upside down. "Well, you get the idea. Focus the chakra towards the soles of your feet and use it to connect to the tree. This is one way of applying chakra."

"Wait a minute! That's a nice trick, but how does it help us fight Zabuza?" Sakura demanded.

"It's the only way to fight him. That's the entire goal of this training." Another long explanation later, Team 7 finally understood what tree climbing had to do with them. "You need to apply the power of chakra, through training." He tossed each of them a kunai. They had to mark the tree at the highest point they could climb. After that, they had to try to get past that mark, and repeat the process for every mark after.

"Ready?"

"I'm more than ready! This is gonna be no sweat all the way, believe it!" Naruto exclaimed, snatching up his kunai. Everyone started to concentrate to get the chakra to the soles of their feet. Ready, they all ran forward and ran up. Naruto only got up the tree a foot tall. Sasuke managed to make it up halfway, but lost his momentum and jumped off. There was now a dent that resembled the bottom of his shoe. This was harder than he thought.

Usagi didn't do so well either, but she did manage to get pretty high. With a hard thud, she hit the floor. '_Ah, kami_(god)_, this is hell! But this is the profession I wanted...'_

"Hey this is fun!" They all looked up, shocked. Somehow, Sakura managed to make it so far u that she was sitting on the highest branch on the tree.

"I-impossible!" Usagi muttered in awe.

"Well, looks a female of the squad has the most chakra control. Well done, Sakura," Kakashi taunted. Naruto also complimented her. Clenching her fists, the female blonde of the squad glared daggers at the sensei. "Stop it, you sexist creep!" Sakura grinned and stuck her tongue out at them and noticed that Sasuke didn't care for her success. That stopped her a little.

_'How dare she! Making us all look bad!' _Usagi brushed herself and tried again at the tree. '_I mean really! Girls gotta stick together in this world and she does that? No way. She'll pay, just you wait!' _She stopped to mark her spot on the tree before realizing it was 10 feet higher than her last mark. "Oh goodness..." She scrambled to wrap her limbs around the trunk.

"Well it looks like both females of the team can manage and control their chakra. Didn't we talk about a certain ninja becoming a Hokage? I think both have a chance at that position. And maybe the Uchiha clan isn't so great." Usagi noticed from her spot the scowl Sasuke made. '_That wasn't very nice, you jerk of a sensei!' _Her cheeks puffed in irritation.

"Shut up sensei! You talk too much!" Sakura yelled, frowning. Now Sasuke hated her. He and Naruto gave each other a look that began an unspoken challenge.

"All right! First I'll match Sasuke, then I'll go all the way to the top, believe it!" Inari was behind a tree some yards away, watching the training session. Maybe they had a chance...no, they didn't. "Huh, what a waste of time," he said, walking away. "They don't know what they're up against."

Kakashi instructed them all to keep doing the exercise and get as high as they possibly could. So far, Sakura had still gone the highest. Naruto was, eh, not doing so great height wise. He turned to Sakura for help, which she did. Kakashi thought it was good to see he was actually catching on.

The next day, while Sakura watched the construction workers build the bridge and Usagi slept in, the boys were at it again to reach a high point on the tree. Basically the day was wasted for the two girls. When Usagi did get up, she was very confused. Inari sat at the end of her futon, just watching her.

"Um...hello. What are you doing here? Didn't your mom say this guest room was only for girls?"

"I know that. I'm just looking."

"Uh, right."

"Do you really think you can beat Gato and his men?" That threw her off. "I don't think you guys have a chance, but that orange suited boy keeps talking about it and how it'll make him the next Hokage. Well, what do you think, being his teammate and all?"

"Honestly, I don't think it's possible. It'll be four against 1 or 2, but even then we're just kids who've started our adventure into the life of a shinobi. But if you set your mind on a goal and believe, then you can do anything, I guess. So by him saying it all the time, he's sorta encouraging himself...in a loud way, of course."

"But believing and doing are different."

"Yeah, I know." She stretched her arms and grinned. Advice giving isn't a huge forte of hers. "Hey, speaking of, where is the team?"

"The pink hair one is off with grandpa and the others are still training."

"Really? Aw, man. I shouldn't have slept in, now I won't have breakfast or anything. And I heard that your mom was making waffles today!" Usagi sobbed a little. '_Yeah, she really doesn't look like the kunoichi type,' _Iwari thought. In the afternoon, just as the sun was setting, Usagi went to see the boys.

"Guys, this is ridiculous! You haven't eaten lunch and yet you're trying train on an empty stomach? No, no, no, this won't do at all. You're gonna kill yourselves!" Sasuke, huffing from the tightness of his chest, turned to her.

"Sorry we don't have it easy like you, baka(idiot) bunny." She frowned, getting really mad with this name.

"You shut up, ahiru(duck) head!" Sasuke twitched. What a stupid comeback. "Whatever, idiot, we're gonna keep on, so go back to Tazuna's house." Usagi humphed and turned around. "Asshole..." she muttered. Later he regretted it when Naruto wouldn't tell him the secret to climbing high on trees. Kakashi came 5 minutes later to tell them that they had to eat dinner. Even THEN it was a competition. It was bean soup and sweet potatoes, and both the boys gobbled up their food to see who could eat more. '_Even I don't eat that much!' _Usagi thought, calmly savoring the soup's broth. Inari's mom was a very good cook. Then, out of no where, they threw up. She shrieked as Sasuke got some orange looking stuff on her leg.

"Ew!"

"Don't eat so much if you're gonna throw it up!" Sakura scolded. Sasuke wiped his mouth, shooting a somewhat apologetic look at Usagi. "I have to eat."

"And I have to eat more than him! It's the only possible way I'll get strong enough to beat him," Naruto said. Tea was served after and it soothed their stomachs. Sakura got up to look at a picture on the wall. It was a family portrait, but a large area was cut out in the back.

"Excuse me, but this picture's torn. Is there some reason for that? Inari, you kept staring at it all through dinner but there's a tear in it. That's a little strange, don't you think?" His family and himself froze. Though it wasn't said, something was definitely wrong.

"It's my husband," Inari's mom finally answered. Tazuna picked up.

"They use to call him a hero in this land." '_Use to? Then he must...oh gosh, that's horrible.' _Usagi watched the tea in her cup swish around. Inari jumped up and left the room while his mom followed. She briefly scolded Tazuna before she left.

"Inari's so...I mean, what happened to him?" '_Hold you tongue, Sakura!' _Usagi angrily thought in her mind. She was being very rude and intruding into another person's business. It was strange because Usagi usually did the same.

"Is there a story behind this?" Kakashi asked.

"He wasn't his real father, he came into our family later. He brought so much happiness. He and Inari were very close. In those days, Inari use to laugh all the time." By this point, Tazuna was shaking from grief. Everyone watched and he clenched his hands together. "But then...all that ended." Tears hit the table.

"He never laughs or smiles anymore. Ever since the day where everything changed. The word courage was stolen from this island. We were left feeling powerless and hopeless and Inari suffered the most. Ever since that day and ever since IT happened."

"Tell us, what happened to Inari?" Kakashi asked. Usagi nodded leaning forward to clasp her hands together.

"Yes, please do!" Tazuna sighed.

"First you need to know about the man, his father. The man who taught us the word courage, the hero in this land."

"A hero, really?" Naruto asked.

"You can decide that for yourself. He came here 3 years ago." They were told the story of Inari being bullied over his dog and how he was thrown into the sea to die. The dog paddled away and left Inari. The man who was to be his step dad saved Inari and nursed him after. Inari was given kind words about being brave and standing up for what he believed.

"His name was Kaiza, a simple fisherman that came here from another land to follow his dreams. After, they were inseparable. The boy never knew his real father so you can imagine what it meant to him to have Kaiza. He looked up to him and followed in his footsteps. Kaiza spent more and more time with us until he became a part of the family."

"And then when this town needed him, he became something more." Kaiza risked his life the stop the village from being flooded.

"It wasn't long after that Gato showed up. He terrorized the village and the only one to stand up to him was Kaiza. Gato couldn't have a local hero getting in his way. It took his whole gang to stop one man." Kaiza was brutally beaten and tied to a stake in front of the townspeople. He was accused of disrupting the village and interfering with Gato's company. He was then killed in front of everyone. The event scarred Inari and turned him into a bitter kid.

"We lost our will." Naruto thought back to how Inari acted the past week. It all made sense now. He hopped out of his chair and face planted on the ground.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura asked, not amused.

"You'd better take the day off. You've spent the day training and wasted chakra. If you push any harder, it could kill you."

"I'm going to prove it," he said, assertive. This caught everyone's attention.

"Prove what?" Sakura asked. '_Prove he's an idiot,' _Sasuke thought.

"I'll prove that it's true, that in this world there are real heroes!"

**Thank fricken god that's over! This was made on June 15th, I could have sworn this was started in March. Whatever, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and sit tight for the next chapter of the damn Zabuza arc. Because then it's the Chuunin exams...!**


	6. Author Note with spoilers

**I know you guys are anxious to know what's the future of The Melted Heart. Oh, you aren't? Oh...Well anyways, since I've gotten questions and suggestions recently for the story, these are some things that I will reveal. Please note that even though I'm writing these and have plans to do these, plans sometimes change.**

Usagi WILL become Sailor Moon

+There WILL be a Tuxedo Mask (But not as you might have remembered)

+Makoto/Jupiter won't show up until Shippuden. The reason why is because I decided to have one of the girls take on a different role, and Rei would have been to obvious and overdone.

+Usagi will die

+Chibiusa MIGHT show up, but I'm not sure. If she does, it won't be the daughter relationship, but something like that

+Don't make me tell a land where they barely understand what I speak but they nod to my beats (Do you know what song that's from? Just found it again!)

+The Dark Moon Kingdom shows up, and Prince Diamond is still after Usagi

+Ali and En won't show up

+Not all the characters will be completely in character


End file.
